The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) measures balance in older people with impairment in balance function by assessing their performance on a number of functional motor tasks. It is a valid and reliable scale used in clinical practice and research. The scale consists of 14 items and takes between 10 and 15 minutes to complete. You will need a ruler, two standard chairs (one with arm rests, one without), a footstool, stopwatch, and a 15-foot walkway. If you are completing the assessment to measure change from baseline, a change in score of 8 points is needed to conclude that a genuine improvement of deterioration has taken place. A higher score is associated with a lower fall risk.
Sources
Berg K, Wood-Dauphinee S, Williams JI and Gayton D. (1989): Measuring balance in the elderly: preliminary development of an instrument. Physiotherapy Canada 41: 304-311. Predicting falls within the elderly community: comparison of postural sway, reaction time, the Berg balance scale and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale for comparing fallers and non-fallers